Coin-controlled apparatus.



N0. 685,642. Y v Patented Oct. 29,7l90l.

W. F. M. RICKETTS.

COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

(Application led Ot. 4, 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 sham-sheet l.

J5 WWW/@WWW l a er 9 v a y a 4- 3 l .v i 4 @5 25 f /V z f a I g5 o /5nglllnlnlllm '/c'" e0' f 29 3g -7---- /ff vi /3 M 5? wv lill f THE NonmsPETERS co., PHoTmLU'Ho., WASHINGTON. D. c.

(N0 Model.)

- Patented Ucty2'9", l90l.- W. F. M. RICKETTS.

COIN CO'N'TBOLLED APPARATUS.'

(Application led Oct. 4, 1900.1

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

NITED `STATES PATENT FFICE..

WILLIAM F. M. RCKETTS, OF PULLMAN, l/VASHINGTON.

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentvNo. 685,642, dated October29, 1901.

Application filed October 4, 1900. Serial No. 32,032. (No model.)

vided with mechanism of peculiar construction whereby when a coin of theproper denomination is supplied to the machine `the drawer will beautomatically unlockedand can be Withdrawn from the device, carryingtherewith the article or articles within the apparatus desired.

A further object is to so arrange the drawers within the apparatus as toprevent unlocking of the same b v tampering.

Another object is to provide mechanism whereby the article deliveredinto the drawer will be thrown upward to a point adjacent to the upperedge thereof when said drawer is slid outward.

With these and other objects .in View the invention consists inproviding a casing having a horizontal partition therein which dividesthe upper or feed compartment from the lower compartment, containing thecoin-receiving mechanism. The dispensing-drawer is arranged upon thepartition, and a plate is secured to the rear thereof and extendsdownward therefrom. This plate is provided with i 'a substantiallyrectangular opening which is l adapted toA receive the Weighted end of aing at a point in front of the drawer. A tongue eXtends forward from theplate before referred to and normally rests upon the bottom of thetrough. The front of the drawer when inl lclosed position is arrangedbetween the partition before referred to and a top strip havl ing faslot therein. A slot is also provided inv the front of the drawer andwithin the partition which registers with the slot in the upper stripand permits a coin in serted thereinto to drop upon the forward andnormallyraised end of the trough. The weight of this coin will cause theweighted end of this trough to swing upward out of engagement with theplate and into alinement with the opening in said plate. The drawer canthen be drawn forward, causing the plate to slip over the trough,land asthe tongue is carried therewith the coin within the trough will bepushed upon the guide before referred to and can be readily seen throughthe glass arranged in the front of the casing. Means are providedwhereby articles of various sizes may be fed to the drawer. The draweris provided with peculiar mechanism,which prevents the admission of morethan a predetermined quantity thereto, and this mechanism is soconstructed that when the drawer is pulled outward to its limit thearticle or articles contained therein will be raised to a point adjacentto the upper edge thereof, where they can be readily grasped andremoved.

The invention also consists in the further novel construction andcombination of parts hereinafter more fully describedand claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form ofmy invention, and in whichv Figure l is a vertical section therethrough.Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of the device with the door removedand showing the 'locking and releasing mechanism for the drawers. Fig. 3is a longitudinal section through a modified form of drawer. Fig. 4 is atop plan view thereof. on line xm, Fig. 2; and Fig. isa perspective of atrough. d

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is a substantiallyL-shaped casing comprising a base 2 andan upright portion 3, arrangedthereon at the rear thereof. 'Ihis casing is formed of any suitablemateriahand the upper edge of the base is preferably rounded, as shown,and maybe provided'with anysuitable ornamentation. The rear of the Fig.5 is a sectionfi' IOO casing is closed in any suitable manner, as bymeans of a door et, the front of the upright portion thereof beingclosed by glass panels which are equal in number to the number ofcolumns of merchandise contained within the apparatus. These panelsextend from the top ofthe casingto points above the top of the base 2,are arranged therebelow are the dispensing-drawers 5 of the apparatus. Astrip G extends from the casing over the drawers when the same are intheir closed position, and this strip is provided with slots 7 therein,which are equal in number to the number of drawers in the device Thefront of each drawer is slotted vertically, as at 8, and this slot isadapted to register with the slot7and with the short slot 9, extendingdownward through a partition 10, extendinghorizontally of thecasing,substantially in alinement with the top of the base 2. Verticalpartitions 11 are arranged within the casing at points between thepanels before referred to and serve to separat e the various columns ofmerchandise arranged withinv the upright portion The rear edge of thepartition 10 is inclined downward, and arranged in rear thereof, atapoint removed therefrom, are strips 12, the forward ends of which areinclined, said strips being secured to the vertical partitions and tothe sides of the casing' in alinement with the partition 10. Thepartitions 1l are grooved, as at 13, in alinement with the strips G, andthese grooves receive sliding plates 1,4, which are adjustable from ortoward the strip G. A rod 15 is arranged horizontally within the base 2of the apparatus at a point below the drawers, and pivotally mountedthereon is a bracket 16, which is secured tothe bottom of a trough 17,extending from a point below the slot 9 backward toward the rearward endof the casing, said trough being provided at its rear end with a weight1S. The forward end of this trough extends above the guide 19, which issecured to and depends from the top of the base 2, said base beingprovided at a point above the guide with a glass panel 20, whereby acoin upon the guide may be readily seen.

As before stated, the drawers 5 are provided at the front with verticalslots adapted to receive a coin after the same has been fed into theslot 7. Each drawer also contains dogs 21,which are pivoted therein atopposite sides, the lower edges of which are curved and adapted toextend downward below the bottom `of the vdrawers when the same are inlowered position. The forward ends of the dogs 21 are adapted to contactwith the plate 22, hinged at its rear edge to a second plate 23, whichis pivotally mounted within the drawer at the rear end thereof. Astop 24is arranged above the dog 21 to limit the downward movement of the plate23. A screw 25 extends through the stop, and by adjusting the sametherein the movement of said plate 23 may be readily regulated.

Extending over the top of each drawer 'is a ceases plate 2G, providedadjacent to each end with slots 27, adapted to receive pins or screws28, extending from the upper edge of the drawer and serving as guidesfor the plate. This plate is curved downward at its forward edge, asshown, and serves to force the article from under the one directly aboveit. It will be seen that by this construction the plate 26 may bereadily slid from or toward the front of the drawer, and the opening inthe top of said drawer can thus be readily regulated. Extending downwardfrom each drawer, at the rear end thereof, is a plate 29, having asubstantially rectangular opening 30 therein at a pointadjacent to itslower edge. This opening is adapted to receive the rear end of thetrough 17 after the same has been lifted by the weight of a coin droppedupon the forward end thereof. A tongue 31 is hinged to the inner face ofplate 29 at a point above the opening 30 therein, and the forward end ofthis tongue normally rests upon the bottom of the trough. Suitablereceptacles, as drawers 32, may be arranged within the base at pointsbelow t-he guides 19 and troughs 17, and these are employed forreceiving the coins after the same have been discharged from the guides.

Strips 33 of wire or other suitable material are arranged verticallywithin the upright portion of the casing in alinement with the rear edgeof the strip 6 and in rear of the glass panels before referred to. Thesestrips serve to prevent material placed within the apparatus from cominginto contact with the glass, and they also retain the saine at a pointdirectlyabove the aperture formed between the strips 6 and the slide 14.It' cigars are to be dispensed from the machine, a box 34, containingthe same, is placed in position above the aperture between the strip Gand slide 14C after one end and the top have been removed and is held inposition by means of screws 35, arranged, preferably, within the top ofthe casing. The machine is then in condition for use.

It is obvious that the drawers cannot be drawn outward until the rearend of the trough 17 has been lifted so as to lie at a point inalinement with the aperture 30, formed within plate 29. By insertingacoin in the slot 7 it will pass through the front of the drawer and fallupon the front end of the trough, causing said end to swing downwardinto contact with the guide 19. Vhen in this position, the rear end ofthe trough is in alinement with the opening within the plate 29, and thedrawer 5 can then be drawn forward, said plate slipping over the trough.As the drawer comes forward, carrying the plate 29 therewith, the tongue31 will slide the coin from the trough onto the guide 19 and the samewillthen be visible through the glass 20. As the drawer starts forwardin its movement the dogs 2l will swing downward upon their pivots asthey pass the inclined ends of IOO IIO

,front end of the drawer.

vent the downward passage of more than one cigar at a time. The downwardmovement of the plate 23 will be limited by the stop 25; but the hingedplate 22 will swing downward until the dogs 2l reach the limits of theirmovement. This inclined plate 22 will cause the cigar resting thereon toroll upward to the As the drawer continues to slide open the dogs 21will contact with the inclined edge of the partition 10 and swing upwardat the moment when the drawer reaches the limit of its movement. Thisupward movement of the dogs will cause the plate 22 to swing upward,carrying the cigar therewith, to a point adjacent to the top of thedrawer, and the same can then be readily grasped and removed. Vhen thedrawer is in this position, the cigars are kept in their boxes 34 by thesliding plate 26, secured to the top of the drawer. been removed thedrawer is slid inward, and as soon as the plate 29-escapes the end ofthe trough 17 said end will drop, and it is then necessary to repeat theoperation before described before the drawer can be again opened. Itwill be seen that the coins will drop from the guide 19 to thereceptacle 32. While I have described and illustrated the device as usedfor dispensing cigars, it is understood that I do not restrict myself tosuch use, as, if desired, small packages of tobacco or candy, pencils,&c., may be placed within the upright portion of the casing, and bysliding the strip 14 and the slide 26 backward the size of the inlet tothe drawer maybe made sufciently large to admit the same thereto. Itwill be seen that by this constructionit is impossible to tamper withthe trough through the slots 7, as any tool inserted thereinto for thepurpose of depressing the trough would lock and prevent the opening ofthe drawer.

ably employ a drawer such as shown in Fig. 4. In said figure I haveshown the drawer provided with a hinged bottom 36, and it will be seenthat when the drawer is in its closed position articles will dropthereinto until that After the cigar hasA Where more than one. articleis to be dispensedl at a time, I prefer-- seen that' by adjusting theweight 18 back and forth in the slot 37, formed in the bottom of thetrough, the mechanism can be set to operate upon the insertion of anydesired coin.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of myinvention; bntI do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware thatmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit orsacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right tomake such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of myinvention. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf 1. In a coin-controlledapparatus, the combination with a drawer having a slot, of a j platesecured to the drawer and having an aperture therein, a trough pivotedbelow the drawer and the rear end thereof normally engaging the plateand preventing forward movement thereof, and a slotted strip above thedrawer, the slot therein registering with y the slot within the drawer,said slots permitting the discharge of a coin upon the trough. 2. In acoin-controlled apparatus, the corn-y bination with a drawer having avertical slot in the front thereof, of a strip above the drawer having aslot therein adapted to register with the slot within the drawer, aplate secured to the drawer and having an aperture therein, a troughpivoted below the drawer and the rear end thereofvnormally lying in thepath of the plate, and a guide extending from and inclosing thenormally-raised end of the trough, said'end lying below the slot in thedrawer. p

3. The combination with a drawer having a vertical slot in the frontthereof, ofia strip above the drawer having a slot adapted to registerwith the slot in the drawer, a plate too extending downward from thedrawer and having an aperture therein, a trough pivoted below the drawerand having its rear end normally in the path of the plate, and a tonguehinged to the plate and slidably mounted at its I opposite end upon thetrough.

4. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination with a drawer havinga slot in the front thereof, of a strip above thedrawer having a slottherein adapted to register with the slot in vthe drawer, a plateextending downward from the drawer having an aperture therein, a troughpivoted below the drawer, and a weighted end thereto normally in thepath of the plate, the forward end of said trough lying below the slotsand adapt-.-

ed to be depressed by a coin dropping there= on thereby raising theweighted end out of the path of the plate. y

5. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the com# bination with a drawerhaving a slot in the front thereof,- of a strip above the drawer havinga slot therein registering with the slot IIO in the drawer, a platesecured to the drawer slots, and a tongue hinged to the plate and andextending downward therefrom and havresting at its opposite end upon thetrough. ing an aperture therein, a trough 'pivoted be- In testimonywhereof I afx` my signature lowr the drawer and having a slot in therear in presence of two Witnesses.

end thereof, a Weight adjustably secured WILLIAM F. M. RICKETTS.

within the slot and adapted to hold the trough lVitnesses: normally inthe path of the plate, the forward JOHN SQUIRES, end of said troughlying at a point below the W. D. HENRY.

